Liverpool have had a disastrous two seasons under manager Arne Slott, but Reds captain Virgil van Dijk has given his thoughts on their predicament ahead of this weekend’s crucial clash with Chelsea.
Van Dijk talks about Liverpool’s problems this season (Image: Getty Images)
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has slammed his team’s “unacceptable” performance this season as they battle to qualify for the Champions League. The reigning Premier League champions have endured a dismal title defense under Arne Slott.
Liverpool are fourth in the table, 18 points behind leaders Arsenal with three games left in the season. Slott’s side are relatively comfortable with a place in the Champions League, but manager Van Dijk remains mum about the Reds’ performance this season.
Speaking on Liverpool’s matchday program ahead of this weekend’s clash with Chelsea, the Dutch defender said, “In many ways, this is the story of our season. We haven’t been able to build any momentum at all. We’ve had some good spells in some games, even some good wins, but we haven’t been able to follow them up and really create some consistency.”
“This is very frustrating for everyone involved at the club because, as we all know, consistency is the hallmark of a successful team. But we keep moving forward. We keep working and we keep coming together.”
read more: Arne Slott insists ‘no one will test positive’ in Liverpool reality checkread more: Arne Slott confirms Mo Salah update triples Chelsea’s return to Liverpool
Follow our Liverpool FB page! Keep up with the latest Reds news and more on our dedicated Facebook page
“We know we still have work to do to qualify for next season’s Champions League and we want to achieve that as soon as possible. We have three games left and we want to win every game starting on Saturday.”
“Chelsea, like us, have found it difficult at times this season, but we know they have a lot of talent in their squad. They will be motivated after last weekend’s disappointing result and we know they need to be at their best to get the three points.”
“As I say, that is our aim, nothing more. This has been a very disappointing season – in my opinion, an unacceptable season – but we cannot feel sorry for ourselves. That is not what Liverpool are about.
Van Dijk and Liverpool have endured a difficult season (Image: Getty Images)
“Of course we are all frustrated, but we want to finish on a positive note, secure Champions League qualification and at least take something from a difficult campaign for everyone.”
Following the match against Chelsea, Liverpool will travel to Aston Villa before finishing up at Anfield against Brentford. Despite the club’s disappointing season, Slott is expected to remain on site, with club leaders reportedly intending to give him time to turn things around on Merseyside.
Join our new WhatsApp community! Click this link to receive daily Mirror Football content. Community members also receive special offers, promotions, and advertisements from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check it out whenever you like. If you are interested, please read our privacy notice.
Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+ and Ultimate TV packages
Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundles to include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, plus 135 channels and complete coverage of the Premier League and EFL from Sky.
Sky has over 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more, with at least 215 of them live from the top flight, along with F1, darts and golf.
